It was the middle of the night when Shikamaru opened his eyes to the darkness of his room. 'Again? Why am I waking before the alarm clock?' he thought to himself as he glanced to the side to see the time. '2:59? How troublesome…' Shikamaru turned to the side and pulled his blankets over him and laid still. The seconds passed by slowly but surly as the clock hit 3.

Shikamaru moved once more and sniffed the air as a new scent entered his room. 'Burning? What the- No ones awake.' He sat up in his bed and looked at his door. The smoky smell got stronger causing him to get up and put on his pants.

'I guess I should see what's going on… How troublesome…' He opened his door and stepped into the hallway with a sudden foreboding feeling overwhelming him. He shook it off and went down the hallway into the kitchen.

'Nothing burning…' He looked around just to make sure but then the scent disappeared. Shikamaru looked at the stove just to be sure that it wasn't on and shrugged it off when he found that it wasn't. He made his way out of the kitchen and back down the hall once again to his bed. He shut his door just enough to leave it a little ajar in case there would be a fire. After slipping off his pants, he slipped into the now cooled covers.

He was just about to lie down when he heard the creaking of springs and a heavy weight on the bottom of his bed. He looked at it in surprise and was about to get up as the invisible object made its way up to him.

"What the-" He stood up but somehow the object had pulled him back down against the bed and laid upon the top of his body.

The air in his lungs was forced out by the weight as the thing pressed down fully against his stomach. Shikamaru struggled to get out from under it but the creature grabbed his throat in order to keep him still. His hands went up to his neck in attempt to pry them off only to be pulled down to leave no room for success.

The object ripped off Shikamaru's clothing and covered his body with its own. Shikamaru's eyes widened as the creature seemed to melt over his body and burn its way into his skin. Shikamaru tried to yell but the creature's hand that was around his neck compressed it enough that barely any air went into his burning lungs. The creature inched its way further into his body, into his very mind and soul, at each passing second. The hand left only to go into his throat and clasp his windpipe.

Shikamaru's vision began to blur from the lack of air when just then it let go. A burning sensation scorched his body from the inside and out to cause him to arch his back and scream in agony.

His parents opened the door to see their son in this state. "Shikamaru!" his mother called out.

He fell back onto the bed to see her rush over to his aid. Every part of his throbbing and burning body slowly became numb as his mothers caring hands went to his face in concern and worry. Only then was Shikamaru thrown into the familiar black abyss.

A few days had passed and Shikamaru's team had yet to see the lazy ninja of Konoha. Ino was actually starting to become concerned about him.

"Where is he? It's been three days! Surely he'd be back by now!" Ino yelled. Asuma looked at the steamed up blonde before him.

"He's probably sick from the flu. It's been going around lately. If he has it then he should get as much rest as he can in order to get well… Unless you want to catch it too." Ino cringed at the thought of herself hunched over the toilet all day.

"Maybe we should visit him?" Choji suggested, hoping that they would be able to see his bedridden friend. Asuma pondered over it for a moment.

"I guess we should." Choji smiled and ate another potato chip from his bag."Come on. Get your weapons." Asuma said. Ino stared at him in disbelief.

"Go visit him? We'll get sick!" Asuma once again turned his attention to her.

"We'll only get sick if we stay there too long. Gather your weapons and get ready to leave. No complaints." Asuma ordered. Ino let out a 'hmph' and did as he said sure enough.

Less the 10 minutes later at Shikamaru's house

Shikamaru's mother opened the door to the three that were waiting outside. "Is Shikamaru here?" Choji asked.

The mothers face seemed to have darkened some and nodded. "Yes. He's in his room."
She let them in and through the house and to the hallway with his bedroom with the three behind her. "He's been… I guess you could call it ill lately."

"Call it? What do you mean? What's wrong with him?" Ino asked. Shikamaru's mother smiled meekly at her.

"Why don't you take a look for yourselves? His room is right here." She said indicating to the brown door to her right. "If you need anything, we'll be in the living room."

Asuma looked after her in curiosity but put it to the back of his mind when Ino opened the door to Shikamarus room.

"Oh god, Shikamaru… What happened to you to you?"